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True crime in agriculture and farming is the focus of CBC’s excellent, unique Farm Crime

True crime is a hot genre right now thanks to podcasts like My Favorite Murder and Someone Knows Something and television series like Making a Murderer and The Detectives. But where those—and the genre on the whole—mostly deals with crimes against humans, Big Cedar Films’ Geoff Morrison takes the craze in a different direction.

Morrison, whose latest projects for CBC were Brand Canada and the excellent and creepy “The Missing Tourist,” returns to the network for the six-episode web series Farm Crime. Now available for streaming on the CBC site and app, Farm Crime investigates offences in the world of agriculture and farming. Morrison notes the infamous maple syrup heist of 2011—when 3,000 tons of the sticky stuff was stolen from a storage facility in Quebec—was the inspiration for Farm Crime. Each instalment is free-standing, so I checked out “George of Green Gables” first.

In it, co-producer and director Christina Carvalho tells the tale of PEI oysterman George Dowdle of Green Gables Oysters, who spends his waking hours tending to his oyster crop. Buoys mark each oyster farmers’ plot of water. But, unlike a piece of property being fenced in to stop thieves, there is nothing like that on the water. The result? As George says, an “arsehole” can abscond with tens of thousands of dollars in oysters in a short amount of time. But once such theft in 2016 was particularly tough on George; it occurred at the same time his wife battled brain tumours. Set against the rustic beauty of PEI, George’s story is heartbreaking and horrible as he and partner Andy Black retrace the poaching, capturing the culprit, and its aftermath.

Morrison and his team pack a lot into an episode, managing to not only outline the crime but explore the life of the victim or victims and the legal entities involved. That’s a tough job to do in an episode that clocks in at under 15 minutes, but he does it well.

Other Season 1 stories include pigeon and cattle theft, a black market butcher, a blueberry bandit (this one plays out like a good mystery) and disappearance of five million bees. All six episodes of Farm Crime are streaming on CBC’s website and the CBC App.

Image courtesy of Big Cedar Films.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Stitched delivers high stakes fashion beginning Sept. 9 on Slice

From a media release:

Lights, camera, fashion! In Corus Studios’ fierce new fashion competition series STITCHED (12×60), the deadlines are tight, the expectations are high and the judges are hard to please. Premiering Sunday, September 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Slice™, STITCHED showcases jaw-dropping couture creations and big fashion personalities. Hosted by Canadian fashion model and actress Kim Cloutier and an esteemed panel of resident judges including style expert Joe Zee and ELLE Canada’s Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa Craft, each high-style meets high-stakes episode sees four skilled North American designers face off in three dramatic themed challenges. Nothing less than perfection will suffice as the designers compete to prove that they are ready to take the fashion world by storm, and win a $10,000 cash prize.

Following an extensive North America-wide search, 48 highly skilled designers are set to compete in the STITCHED workroom over the course of the season. The designers hail from coast to coast and beyond including St. John’s, N.L., Montreal, Que., Toronto, Ont., Saskatoon, Sask., Calgary, Alta., Los Angeles, Calif., Bronx, N.Y., and more. The competitors vary in age, experience level and design aesthetic but the one thing they all have in common is a passion for fashion. Throughout the season, the designers’ breathtaking pieces will walk the runway on an array of professional and amateur models, including mother-daughter duos, drag queens, real-life brides and young-at-heart seniors. Learn more about the design hopefuls here.

In each of the 12 episodes, three design challenges take place that increase in difficulty, sending one competitor packing each round. The premiere episode, titled Fashion Fur Real, will kick off with “The Signature” where four designers show off their unique style using only fun faux fur. Up next in “The Surprise” challenge, the remaining competitors must avoid tired designs and create fabulous garments using only bedroom materials. Then, in the heated “Standout” round, the final two must create a runway-worthy design that displays their interpretation of a modern superheroine, and prove that they have what it takes to win. Throughout the season, designers will be challenged with everything from reimagining the Canadian tuxedo and creating a garment without a needle or thread, to making an ambitious outfit using only camping materials and designing a couture look out of sporting goods. Some designers may crack under pressure, while others will create dynamic designs.

Joining in on the critique with judging panel Joe Zee and Vanessa Craft, are rotating guest judges including fashion industry elites Hayley Elsaesser, Greta Constantine’s Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong, Mackage’s Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan and fashion influencer Ania B.

As the exclusive fashion retailer for the series, Marshalls is integrated into various episodes through surprising challenges and guest stylist appearances. The Marshalls Accessory Shop, stocked full with designer footwear, purses, belts, sunglasses and more, acts as the ultimate style destination for designers to complete their final looks before heading to the runway. Beginning September 9, fans of the series can also enter the Marshalls Stitched contest running on Slice.ca for a chance to win a weekly prize and a $1,000 Marshalls shopping spree.

Throughout the season on Slice.ca, viewers can get a behind-the-scenes look at the STITCHED set with Joe Zee, learn more about host Kim Cloutier and her break into the fashion industry, and watch Vanessa Craft talk trends and timeless fashion. In addition, behind-the-scenes photo galleries and closer looks at each week’s designs will be available after each episode. Full episodes will also be available On Demand with participating service providers and online after broadcast at Slice.ca/stitched.

Slice is available on a National Free Preview for the month of September. Please check local listings for additional details. STITCHED will also air on W Network Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning September 13.

STITCHED is produced by FORTÉ Entertainment in association with Corus Studios for Slice.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

APTN’s First Contact premieres this September

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From a media release:

APTN, in association with Animiki See Digital Productions, Nüman Films, and Indios Productions, announced today that it will premiere the documentary-series, FIRST CONTACT (3 X 60). A compelling exploration into Indigenous culture in Canada, the three-part series is narrated by host and social justice activist George Stroumboulopoulos and takes six Canadians, all with strong opinions about Indigenous people, on a unique 28-day exploration of Indigenous Canada. It is a journey that will turn their lives upside down, challenging their perceptions and confronting their prejudices about a world they never imagined they would see. This exploration will change the participants’ lives forever.

Airing on Tuesday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET, the series will continue with episode two on Wednesday, September 12 and episode three on Thursday, September 13. The second and third episodes will be followed by a two-part reunion special airing September 12 and 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Following the second episode on Wednesday, APTN will air the first of a two-part reunion special featuring three Indigenous hosts that appear in the series. James Favel (co-founder of the Bear Clan Patrol), Michael Redhead Champagne (award-winning community organizer, public speaker and Shamattawa Cree Nation member) and Bernadette Smith (MLA, Assistant Director of Wayfinders Program in the Seven Oaks School Division) will come together in front of a live Winnipeg audience to reflect on the journey of the six participants and share their goals on how all Canadians can help strengthen relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Part two of the dramatic reunion special airs after the finale on Thursday evening, and will see the six participants come together before a live studio audience, to reflect on their experience during and since their journey together.

The following six participants will leave their everyday lives behind to travel deep into Winnipeg, Nunavut, Alberta, Northern Ontario, and the coast of BC to visit Indigenous communities:

Ashley Mathieu
Age: 32
Hometown: Ottawa, ON
Occupation: Personal trainer
About: Ashley’s life has been a truly transformative journey. The daughter of a Canadian Royal Mounted Police Officer and a Portuguese immigrant mother, she was a shy little girl who got bullied throughout most of her childhood. Having been through many challenges and hard times, Ashley is an empathetic person who is interested in learning about other people before passing judgment. She is also a direct and outspoken person and believes every Canadian has a right to their own opinion and the right to express it.

Avonlea Collins
Age: 28
Hometown: Chilliwack, BC
Occupation: Stay-at-home mom
About: Avonlea has spent her life caring for others, from her brother to her young sons. Her big heart and compassion are her defining qualities. Open to learning and changing, Avonlea dreams of living overseas one day and hopes her children get a chance to learn about other cultures in the world; something she never got to do. Avonlea considers herself open to new cultures, people and environments.

Dallas Cormier
Age: 26
Hometown: Saint John, NB
Occupation: Lobster fisherman/welder
About: Outgoing and athletic from childhood, Dallas spent his adolescence playing sports and hanging out at the community centre with the same group of kids he is still friends with to this day. Dallas’ parents pushed him to be someone who cared about others and he does his best to help others however he can. His mom is his role model, as she always made sure he was able to participate in activities with friends, despite a limited household income.

Donald Wright
Age: 65
Hometown: Ardrossan, AB
Occupation: Retired truck driver
About: Donald is proud to consider himself honest, with a strong work ethic and integrity. A self-proclaimed opinionated conservative, he considers that the freedom to live in a safe, clean place without war and suffering is the best thing about Canada. He’s not a fan of the current government’s focus on diversity, though he enjoys exploring the world with his wife of 18 years.

Jamie-Sue Sykes
Age: 36
Hometown: Ingersoll, ON
Occupation: Team leader, auto manufacturing
About: Country-born and bred, Jamie-Sue loves big trucks and small-town Canada. She defies any stereotypes that go along with country life with her open-mindedness and compassionate nature. She wants to see the country do much more to help its most marginalized communities, like those suffering from addiction or mental health issues. She believes we are only as good as the way we treat those most in need.

Ross Jackson
Age: 50
Hometown: Edmonton, AB
Occupation: Accountant
About: Family man Ross has his roots firmly planted in Alberta but has explored the world as well, first as a young child living in New Zealand with his family, and later as an officer in the Navy. A father of three, Ross has strong opinions and believes, that hard work and traditional Canadian values are the key to success. He expects anyone who has the opportunity to live in Canada to feel the same.

First Contact is produced by Animiki See Digital Productions, Nüman Films, and Indios Productions, with the financial participation of the Canada Media Fund. Producers are Vanessa Loewen and Desiree Single for Animiki, Jeff Newman and Jocelyn Mitchell for Nüman Films, and Stephanie Scott for Indios Productions. Written and Directed by Jeff Newman.

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Wicked weather and wild wrecks: Highway Thru Hell returns to Discovery for Season 7, Sept. 4

From a media release:

Battling massive mudslides, whiteout snowstorms, torrential rain, or dangerous rockslides, the highway heroes of Discovery’s most-watched original Canadian series HIGHWAY THRU HELL are set to return for Season 7 with an unprecedented 17 action-packed episodes, more than ever before! Airing Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, beginning Sept. 4 on Discovery, Season 7 kicks off with an exclusive behind-the-scenes episode featuring heavy rescuer Jamie Davis alongside friendly competitors Al Quiring, Ken Duperon, and Jason Davis reflecting on epic recoveries and discussing the various ups and downs they face in one of Canada’s toughest industries.

Following the premiere episode at 11 p.m. ET, viewers are invited to pose their questions to HIGHWAY THRU HELL star Jamie Davis in Discovery’s first-ever Facebook Live aftershow at Facebook.com/DiscoveryCanada.

Featuring stories of remarkable strength and fearless dedication, HIGHWAY THRU HELL chronicles the lives of these heroic rescue teams who often put their own lives at risk to help keep vital transport highways open and communities safe. Dropping everything to respond, it is their duty to remove the often-dangerous cargo, clean up the twisted metal, clear the road, and get traffic rolling again for thousands of drivers.

HIGHWAY THRU HELL Season 7 also sees Davis make a bold move, turning to vintage machinery to tackle modern-day wrecks. Davis’ team is not only tested by unforgiving weather conditions but also faced with the challenge of mastering old iron equipment to combat some of the most spectacular wrecks the crew has ever seen.

Discovery primes viewers for the new season with a full-day marathon of HIGHWAY THRU HELL Season 6 on Saturday, Aug. 25 beginning at 3 p.m. ET. Season 6 is also currently available for streaming on the Discovery GO app, Discovery.ca, and CraveTV.

HIGHWAY THRU HELL has consistently attracted impressive audiences, ranking as a Top 10 series on entertainment specialty television in Canada for total viewers and the A25-54 demographic. The series has made Discovery the most-watched entertainment specialty channel in its timeslot among total viewers as well as the A25-54 and A18-49 demographics.

Toyota returns as the show’s exclusive automotive sponsor, featuring the capable, rugged, full-size Tundra pickup in HIGHWAY THRU HELL’s seventh season.

About HIGHWAY THRU HELL Season 7:
Jamie Davis is shifting gears once again. After years of keeping the highways open with some of the most modern heavy wreckers – the legendary tow man is staking his future on old iron equipment.

At Davis’ yard in Hope, B.C., Classic Holmes tow trucks – some nearly half a century old – are slowly replacing newer, costlier wreckers. For Davis, the vintage trucks are more than just a passion – they represent survival. Under pressure to reduce costs and stay competitive, Davis is confident this winter he and his crew can tackle some of the toughest jobs – on and off the Coquihalla Highway – using an ageing, rebuilt fleet.

This winter season, Davis is counting on one truck more than any other – the “Mighty Mo”. After rolling out of his garage at the end of last winter, the beautifully restored Holmes 850, named after a World War II battleship, is ready for war. Known as the most powerful tow truck of its day, the hulking 40-ton wrecker will need to shoulder the biggest jobs as Davis prepares to sell his last modern truck.

After a challenging first winter working the mountain passes, former prairie operator Colin McLean is back in Hope for more adventures as Davis’ lead driver. But having run some of the best top-of-the-line hydraulic trucks, Davis’ “old iron” is going to take some getting used to.

Each one-hour episode follows the Jamie Davis Motor Truck team as well as their competitors – Quiring Towing, Mission Towing, Aggressive Towing, and Reliable Towing – as they brave the harsh conditions of the Coquihalla Highway. Ready to navigate extreme roads and weather, each team prepares to put themselves on the line in order to keep some of the most economically important and travelled trucking routes in North America open and accessible for all.

HIGHWAY THRU HELL is produced by Great Pacific Media in association with Discovery Canada. Executive Producer is Mark Miller. The series producer is Neil Thomas.

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Industry News, Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

Coming this fall on APTN

From a media release:

APTN announced its Fall 2018 schedule today, highlighting a slate of new original series, returning favourites and thought-provoking documentaries. The new season starts on September 3rd.

Longmire, Season 5 – Sheriff Longmire finds himself caught in the cross-hairs of a wrongful death civil suit. New mysteries and cases are weighing down on Walt and his team.

Wentworth, Season 6 – Following season five’s jaw-dropping finale. Season six resumes with almost all of Wentworth’s inmates and officers stunned by the apparent joint escape of Franky Doyle and Joan Ferguson.

First Contact – Premiering on APTN, First Contact takes a group of six non-Indigenous Canadians with strong opinions and immerses them into Indigenous Canada for the first time. The participants are tested in extraordinary situations, their beliefs confronted, and their emotions pushed to the limits.

Taken, Season 3 – The hard-hitting, true crime documentary series, focuses on solving the mysteries behind Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Broadcasted in Cree and English. APTN will be co-broadcasting the third season of Taken with CBC.

Future History – Exclusive to APTN, this documentary series challenges the settler colonial paradigm while celebrating the reclamation and revitalization of Indigenous knowledge.

French language programming will also premiere on Canada’s only independent Indigenous network. Première Ligne captures the stories of Indigenous health and first aid professionals who help their fellow community members in distress. The hit documentary series, defining the standards of beauty within an Indigenous context, Princesses will be airing in French.

New Indigenous language Programming will also air on the network. From the North, Nunavummi Mamarijavut, an Arctic adventure culinary series follows Inuit families and outfitters and showcases how food is an expression of love and a means of sharing their culture. Broadcast in Inuktitut. Moosemeat & Marmalade, Season 3 will air in Cree and Mohawk Girls, Season 5 will air in Mohawk.

APTN’s Fall 2018 season kicks off September 3rd.

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